Supporting attachment for saxophones



Oct. 31, 1933. c. G. MYERS 1,932,800

SUPPORTING ATTACHMENT FOR SAXOPHONES Original Filed June 19, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l M 4 8 F 5 amnion /44/1 W M/LLZ/O Elnmw Oct. 31, 1933. c. G. MYERS SUPPORTING ATTACHMENT FOR SAXOPHONES Original Filed June 19, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 31, 1933 UNITED STATES SUPPORTING ATTACHMENT iron SAXOPi-IONES Clark G. Myers, Chicago, Ill.

Refiled for abandoned 372,099, June 19, 1929.

application Serial No.

This application December 5, 1932. Serial No. 645,812

6 Claims.

Myinventionrelates to improvements insupporting attachments for saxophones. The primary object of my invention is to provide a simple, convenient and effective form of attachment applicable to any goose-necked musical instrument of the saxophone type, whereby such instrument may be properly supported from the knee of the player at the desired height and whereby, when not in use, the knee engaging member may be folded against the instrument to allow it to be stored within its case.

Further objects of my invention are to provide a knee engaging support for goose-necked musical instruments which may be quickly attached to instruments which differ in size, structure, relative length and form;--in which the knee engaging member will not slip, when in use, even though the leg of the player be inclined at a considerable angle ;-in which a vertically adjustable post having bracket connection with the instrument may be utilized to support a hinged knee engaging hook in an ofiset position suited to the requirements of any given player and whereby the knee engaging hook may have a swiveled shank in hinged connection with the post whereby the hook may be swung rotatively from position of use to a folded position between the arms of reversely extending portions of the horn.

In the drawings: 7

Figure 1 is a view of a saxophone equipped with my improved attachment, showing the manner in which the same may be supported from the knee of the player.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of 35 the attachment inside elevation, with a portion of the knee engaging hook broken away in longitudinal section, and dotted lines indicating its folded position.

Figure 3 is a sectional view, drawn to line'33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the attachment shown in Figure 2, with a portion of the clamping band shown in horizontal section.

Figure 5 is a detail view of the bracketed end portions of the band showing the same slightly separated.

Figure 6 is a view showing a modification, in which the use of a band for encircling the tube of the instrument is eliminated.

Figure 7 is a view of the same taken at right angles to Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a detailed isometric view of one of the brackets.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

In the construction shown in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, the attachment is clamped to the short arm of the tube by a clamping band 10 which is preferably formed in two sections having post engaging pairs of brackets 11 and 12 at their 6 abutting ends on one side of the tube, and bolt receiving brackets 13 and 14 at the other side of the tube. A post 15, square or rectangular in cross section, is adapted to be inserted through apertures 16 in the outwardly projecting ears of the brackets 11 and 12, respectively, when such ears are adjusted in a position with their apertures 16 in registry with each other. The bracket 12 has less width than the bracket 11 so that its ears may pass between those of the bracket 11, thereby bringing the four openings 16 into line or registry with each other for the reception of the post. The margins of the aperture 16 are preferably serrated or notched so that the post may be turned to various angles of rotative adjustment.

The post serves as a means for connecting the ends of the band sections at one side of the tube.

At the other side, a clamping bolt 18, provided with a thumb piece 19, is employed to draw the brackets 13 and 14 together and thus draw the band tightly'about the tube near the goose-neck bend at the lower end of the instrument. By drawing the brackets 13' and 14 toward each other, the tube is not only tightly embraced by the band, but the brackets 11 and 12 are placed under tension tending to draw them apart, whereby the serrated ears grip the post 15 and hold it securely in position.

A thigh, leg or knee engaging hook 20 is pivotally connected at 21 to the lower end of the post 15 and the curved portion of the hook is surfaced with a non-metallic or frictional material, fabric being preferred. The curve of the hook is such as to allow it to support the instrument from a curved surface to which it is applied, and the object of the surfacing is to prevent the hook from slipping downwardly in the direction of the knee when the leg of the player is at an incline. The inner end of the hook has a shank'portion 24 in swiveled connection with a coupling member 25, the swiveling movement being limited by a stop pin 26 projecting into an arcuate' slot 27, formed in the coupling member. The wall of the slot is provided with a recess 28 at each end, in which t. e pin 26 may find anchorage sufiicient to give a degree of stability to the position of the hook in the position of use and in the folded position. A coiled spring 29, socketed in the coupling member 25, bears against the end of the shank portion 24 and urges the hook outwardly from the shank to seat the pin 26 in the notch with which it may be in registry.

The pivotal connection at 21, allows the book to be freely adjusted to a proper seating upon the limb of the player regardless of the position in which the player may desire to hold the instrurnerit, and each player will adjust the post along the line of its own axis to support the instrument with its mouthpiece at his lips in the position which he most naturally assumes. It is not material whether the pivotal connection at 21 is or is not a frictional clamping connection since the hook 20 will ordinarily occupy the position in which it is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 when in use, and in this position the shank 24 is at the limit of its upwardly swinging movement as clearly shown in Figure 2. It may be assumed, however, that there will ordinarily be sumcient friction between the shank and the sides of the fork at the lower end of the post 15 to supp rt the weight of the hook and prevent it from swinging freely when not engaged with the person of the player.

It is obvious that by loosening the clamping bolt 18, the post 15 may be released sufliciently to allow it to be adjusted axially with reference to the bracket ears 11 and 12, whereby the saxophone may be supported with its mouthpiece at a proper height to suit the requirements of a player. By axially adjusting the post in the bracket, the hook may be raised or lowered in accordance with the desire of the player as determined by the normal position in which he places his leg while playing. The length and curvature of the hook is such that the instrument will be securely supported, for the extreme outer end of the book will engage the opposite side of the leg of the player from that at which the, instrument is located, and the hook will have no tendency to slip laterally from the leg oil the wearer.

when not in use, the hinge joint at 21 allows shank 24 to fold upwardly and the hook 2o may then be swung upon its swivel connection with the shank through an arc of approximately lliilf until the curved outer end of the hook passes between the arms of the goose-neck. This allows the instrument to be packed in its case without removing the attachment.

In the modified form of construction shown in Figures 6, 7, and 8, a post 15a is secured to a key, guard by a clamping bracket 31 formed of resilient material and having a rounded portion adapted to embrace the guard 30, and a rectangular portion adapted to embrace the post. This bracket has the form of a split collar, with proieqting cars 33 adapted to be connected by a clamping bolt 34 which, when turned up, draws the parts together to securely bind the post 15a to the guard 30 within the bracket. The bracket is preferably prevented from slipping by an arm 35 having a U-shaped clamping clip 36 adapted to resiliently embrace the horizontally extending portion 37 of the guard.

, Two brackets 31 are employed and they are preferably made reversible so that the clip 36 of one may engage the lower horizontal arm 3'7 of the guard, and the other clip 36 may engage the upper horizontal arm.

The lower end of the post is provided with an S-shaped portion 38 whereby its extremity 39 may, by rotation of the post, be brought into any desired proximity to the tube of the instrument, whereby the shank 24a and the hook 22a may support the instrument in the same relation to the person of the player in which it is held by the attachment disclosed in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive.

I claim:

1. A supporting attachment for musical instruments of the saxophone type, comprising the combination of a bracket adapted to detachably engage the musical instrument, a post in axially adjustable connection with said bracket, and an instrument supporting hook pivotally connected with the post.

2. A supporting attachment for musical instruments of the saxophone type, comprising the combination of a bracket adapted to detachably engage the musical instrument, a post in axially adjustable connection with said bracket, and an instrument supporting hook pivotally connected with the post and adapted to frictionally engage a curved surface such as the knee, thigh, or body of the player, said hook being surfaced with frictional material adapted to prevent the same from slipping in engagement with the clothing of the player.

3. A supporting attachment for musical instruments of the saxophone type, comprising the combination of a bracket adapted to detachably engage the musical instrument, a post in axially adjustable connection with said bracket, and a supporting hook pivotally connected with the post, said hook having a shank portion and a curved portion provided with a non-metallic frictional covering, said shank and curved portionhaving swiveled connection with each other.

4. A device for supporting saxophones comprising the combination with a coupling bracket, of a post axially adjustable in the bracket, and a knee engaging hook provided with a shank in swiveled joint connection with the hook and pivotally connected with the post, whereby the hook may be swung rotatably and also swung transversely of its own axis to a folded position against the instrument to which the coupling bracket is attached.

5, The combination with a musical instrument of the saxophone type, of a knee engaging instrument supporting attachment in hinged connection therewith and adjustable longitudinally of the instrument to support it at (lififerent elevations with reference to the knee.

6. The combination with a musical instrument of the saxophone type, of a non-slipping supporting attachment adapted to partially embrace the leg of a player, and means for detachably connecting the attachment to the instrument, said attachment and connecting means having joints adapted to allow the attachment to be swung to a folded position at the side of the instrument and to also allow an adjustment of the attachment longitudinally of the instrument.

CLARK G. MYERS. 

